Good Man
by multifandomhaven
Summary: The girl wiped at the remaining specks of blood on his face and then she done something that shocked both Podrick and herself. She pressed the ghost of a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "You're a good man, Podrick Payne."


Working in an Inn in times of war was frightful enough for women, especially if said woman was still in her prime. Elin was pretty by commoner standards - long dark hair that hung down her back in waves - pale skin, freckles littered along her nose and cheeks. She had a nice figure, still filling in, her mother assured her when some of the men taunted her about her smaller assets.

She helped her family's Inn run smoothly, mostly doing some of the cooking, but when things got too much for her poor mother to handle she'd go out and help serve. For a girl of only sixteen she was well seasoned in the handling of most men that frequented The Hungry Hen. Only a select few of the men was she wary of - the ones that behaved like starved dogs, grabbing for the first piece of meat they could find.

It was demeaning, but she wanted to make her parents proud. Letting them down wasn't an option, so she'd tear herself away from prying hands and go about her way.

Until the day she couldn't.

It was a humid day. Sweat dripped off the end of Elin's nose as she carried ale to the tables in the furthest corner of the Inn. She swiveled between patrons seamlessly, placing an ale here, and another there, and forced a smile before she reaches the man seated in the back.

"For you," she said kindly as she set the tankard on the table before him.

He looked up at her with clouded blue eyes. His dry lips twisted into an ugly smirk. "And how much would it cost me for you?"

"I'm not for sale, ser." The young woman replied through clenched teeth. "Good day."

The man grabbed her arm and pulled her into his side roughly. He reeked of ale and his grip was too tight. "Ser!"

"C'mon, las, don't make a soldier beg." His big hand trailed from her waist to her breast. She gasped, pushing against his chest.

"I said let me go!" Elin pushed and twisted in his grasp but he didn't relent. She searched for her mother, her father, anyone that she knew, but no one familiar met her eye. Panic overtook her and she grabbed the only thing she could reach, the serving tray she'd sat down before, and smashed it into the side of his head.

He groaned and released her, his hands flying to the wound that now dripped a slow trickle of blood, shocked at her ferocity. Then rose, his hand on the handle of his blade. "You bitch. You dare strike me?"

"You wouldn't let go!" Elin said as she backed away. "I asked you nicely and you kept your filthy hands on me anyway!"

His face was red and blotchy. A vein on his neck throbbed with every beat of his heart. "I'll have your head for that."

"Please, I'm just trying to help my family make a living," she cried.

A hand touched her shoulder gently. She turned to find a pair of kind, brown eyes. "Don't worry, Miss. He'll not be causing you any more trouble."

"Yeah?" The man sneered. "And just who the Seven Hells are you?"

"I'm Podrick Payne." Just then the man, not much older than the girl herself, stepped in front of her. "It's not polite to threaten women, ser."

"Ain't polite for a woman to hit a man, either, now get out of my way." The man's hands tightened around the handle of his blade, "Or I'll kill you first."

Podrick shook his head and turned to her, his posture rigid. "I will fight for you, Miss. This man will not lay a hand on you unless he cuts me down."

Elin nodded, her dark waves bouncing with the motion, and prayed to The Seven that he would live once the brawl was over.

The men stepped forward and for a few sneaking moments the girl thought Podrick Payne might be able to hold his own. He was quick, and the big man was still in his heavy armor, slightly drunk, and blinded by rage. Podrick just barely dodged a heavy strike that was thrown at him, but his eyes still held no fear. With the breath caught in her throat, Elin watched as the men circled one another, not unlike animals she'd seen in the wild.

"You're willing to die over the honor of a serving girl, boy?" The large man taunted. "Too cheap to buy yourself a lay with a proper whore?"

Podrick said nothing, but the corner of his lips pulled sharply down.

"C'mon, you were all talk a minute ago. I'll fight for you, Miss. What's the matter, Podrick Payne, have your balls suddenly shriveled?"

"Shut up!" Podrick lunged forward, his fist balled tight, and smashed it into the man's jaw. The big man stumbled back slightly, more angered than ever. He took a giant step forward and swung his arm, a deafening slap echoed throughout the Inn. Podrick was sent backward with ease.

"I've 'ad enough of you," the big man seethed, stalking toward him, his hand on his blade.

Podrick was getting to his feet, his hand going to the blade on his hip as well. He ignored his freely bleeding nose and instead glanced over his shoulder at the girl. "Stay behind me, Miss."

"Enough!" A booming voice from behind the man resonated throughout the entire inn. A large warrior pushed between them and drew her blade as well. "Either you step down now or you'll fight me."

The drunk man laughed. "A woman? You think you scare me?"

"What's your choice?" The woman seethed. She pointed her sword at the man in challenge. "Step down or fight."

"You lot aren't worth the effort, anyway." The drunk man sneered and looked behind her at the young pair, his eyes full of fury. He spat on the ground at the woman's feet. "And your ale tastes like horse piss!"

The serving girl got on her knees beside Podrick, tearing a piece of her dress off to clean his nose as gently as she could. "Thank you for helping me."

"It's nothing, Miss." Podrick smiled softly. "I couldn't let him go on talkin' to you that way, not when you were just doin' your job."

Elin pressed the cloth against his nose and tilted his head back as gently as she could. "Let me know if I hurt you."

Podrick's lips stretched into a smile. "I can barely feel a thing, thank you, Miss."

"Call me Elin." The girl wiped at the remaining specks of blood on his face and then she did something that shocked both Podrick and herself. She pressed the ghost of a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "You're a good man, Podrick Payne."


End file.
